Who is your favorite Science Fiction author and who would you recommend?

Free Republic ^ | 5-7-04 | Hacksaw (Dan)

[Hacksaw]

I am wondering what your favorite science fiction authors are and who you would recommend. I have read all of Niven's books, some of Pournelles (need to order his on the Sauron system) and am now on William Gibson. I like RH's early work, especially "Farmer in the Sky" and "Farnhams Freehold" but I found his "classics" like Stranger in a Strange Land utterly boring (I didn't finish it). My current fav is William Gibson - I have re-read his series regarding Rydell, Yamazaki, and Chevette sever times and I always enjoy them.

[sharktrager]

Ralph Nader

[CatoRenasci]

I assume you mean SF, not fantasy (in which Tolkein is without peer at the first level, CS Lews at the second level, and everyone else is third rate or worse).

I've alwasy liked the middle Heinlein -- which would include Starship Troopers, Glory Road, Farnham's Freehold, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land (make sure you get the more recently released unexpurgated version).

Likewise, for really early stuff there's always E.E. "Doc" Smith, Asimov's Robotics stuff and the original Foundation trilogy.

Currently, I like Turtledove and Weber, and have enjoyed some Card (but couldn't get through the Alvin Maker stuff), Eric Flint and Elizabeth Moon.

I should also mention Katherine Kurz, whom I knew pretty well back in the '70s.

[Old Sarge]

Well, lessee. At the risk of vanity, I'd say ME, but since I haven't had it published yet, well...

My SF tastes are mixed. Henlein, Bujold, Carey, Gerrold, Cherryh, Aldrin, and a host of others.

[pro libertate]

Isaac Asimov's Foundation series is terrific. I also recommend the novel, "The Mote in God's Eye," by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

Other favorites:
"A Canticle for Leibowitz," by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
A number of stories from Philip K. Dick
"To Your Scattered Bodies Go," by Philip Jose Farmer
"Stranger in a Strange Land," by Robert A. Heinlein
Several short stories by Poul Anderson
and for light-hearted reading the Thomas Covenant series by
Stephen R. Donaldson.

[pro libertate]

I see you enjoyed "The Mote in God's Eye" as well. The sequel, "The Gripping Hand" was pretty good, too.

[Phsstpok]

If you enjoyed Niven and Pournelle's stuff retry RAH, particularly Stanger. Start with the idea that this is written for a 1960s late teen early 20s audience and was supposed to be about Jubal Harshaw, not Valentine Michael Smith, but VMS (the Stranger of the title) kinda took over along the way. I still think Jubal is my favorite character of all time, SF or not. RAH felt that Jubal was his idealized self.

Niven and Pournelle were RAHs protege's and if you enjoy their stuff you should go through all of RAH's stuff, as they find good stuff in all of it.

You mention Niven and Pournelle seperately. Have you read their combined works? Particularly Footfall and Lucifer's Hammer? Footfall is the ultimate "someone invades earth book" (lots of stuff ripped off for ID4) and Lucifer's Hammer is the ultimate "something hits the earth" book (total rip off for both Armegeddon and Deep Impact, though both movies "tip the hat" to the book).

Orson Scott Cards stuff is good, and I'm finding out through FR that he is an interesting free thinker. I may have to go back and re-read his stuff.

Frank Herbert's Dune series is classic, and really interesting to re-read in the light of OBL and 9/11.

I've really enjoyed Rick Cook's "Wizard" series, which is fantasy, but with a very strict computer geek slant. If you are in the computer industry or know "the world" then you'll get all of the jokes. I swear I was at the parties at Comdex he describes in one of the books. The guy is an IEEE fellow, after all.

I'm currently reading the entier "Honorverse" (Honor Harriongton books) by David Weber. I really enjoy almost anything from Baen Books. I'm particularly fond of John Ringo's books. The Posleen books are to die for, and the Prince Roger books will capture you if you enjoy Niven and Pournelle. I got introduced to him by his recent There Will Be Dragons book, and if you get the hard back it has all of his previous books (as well as lots of others) as EBOOKS on an included CD.

Also check out the 1632 series, by Eric Flint. If you like alternate history this is really great, particularly for a Freeper. Turtledove's Guns Of the South is a great stand alone alternate history book. I have more problems with his longer series, mostly because they NEVER END!!!!

I think that will do for now.

[ironmaidenPR2717]

I recently read and enjoyed Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro and Oxygen by John B. Olson/Randall Ingermanson.

[LiteKeeper]

The Discovery Channel writers as well as the Science Channel writers. Pure fiction in far too many stories.

[TheRIGHTChoice]

EASY - read any of Isaac Asimov's collections and you'll be in Sci-Fi Heaven. Asimov is the king of Science Fiction.

C

[Restorer]

David Weber has made all of his books available on-line to readers. His theory is that you'll get tired of reading on a computer screen and buy the book.

[Phsstpok]

you'll get tired of reading on a computer screen and buy the book.

worked for me! I read the first couple of Honorverse books off of the CD that came with Ringo's "There Will Be Dragons." I got a copy of the Honorverse CD from a friend (copying is authorized, so long as you don't SELL it) but decided to buy the hard back of book 10 or so that had the Honorverse CD with it. I figured it was the least I could do (g).

I will snap up (and pay for!) pretty much any Ringo books that come out in the Posleen universe (ACS rule!), "Prince Roger" or TWDB series and will probably buy a couple of the 16xx books as they come available. My only frustration is that they've gotten me hooked on these series and then put them "on hold" as they pursue other interests for awhile. ARRRGGGHHHHHH!

To quote the bard "How many of them can we make die?"

[Maigrey]

Well, let me see (while rummaging in my Library...)

Foremost for me (and he's not been mentioned yet...) is Fredrik Pohl. He's a Grandmaster of SciFi and a consumate storyteller. Pohl has been writing scifi for ~50 years (he's kinda old) and still impresses me with his storywriting. He's scifi, but doesn't let the technical overwhelm the story.
I'd start with either Starburst (if it's still in print) or The Heechhee Series (book one: Gateway) for him.

'Nuther one of mine is Greg Bear. He's heavy on the science (especially in Eon and Eternity but his work on Queen of Angels and Slant were supurb.

I'd also suggest Timothy Zahn (frabulous writer) and maybe Piers Anthony (not truly scifi)

Hope these help.

[neb52]

I don't know about my favorite. Terry Gookind's Sword of Truth series makes the best arguments for individualism and anti-collectivism that I have every seen. I enjoyed Robert Jordan's writing, but like most of his fans, I am horrible put off on how long it takes for him to come out with another new book. For his Wheel of Time series.

[Hacksaw]

Thanks - I have read the series from Card as well. Thanks again.

[farmfriend]

Your kinda thread.

[beebuster2000]

Deathday and the sequel Earthrise, by Dietz. absolutely outstanding- the equal of the books you mention

[baltodog]

"The Light of Better Days" -- co-written by Aurthur C. Clark...one of the best.

"Venus" by Ben Bova.

"Touching God" by I. Forgotwhowroteit....The best Sci-Fi I have ever read.

[Fire_on_High]

My longtime fav is Anne McCaffery's Pern series, but almost all her others are good as well. Acora, Powers That Be, and The Tower series are all worth checking out. Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover is downright addictive also. I'd have to second Rick Cook's Wizard series and Alan Dean Foster. If you have any interest in somewhat more traditional fantasy, several of the early Magic: the Gathering books were good too. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Death Gate Cycle will keep you broke but happy for a while.

Hubby suggests William Shatner. I think he's ok...not bad, and I'd definitely grab his latest if I saw it at the library, but he's nowhere near McCaffery, MZB, or Weis and Hickman for me.

[Swordmaker]

Robert Anson Heinlein

I am surprised that no one mentioned RAH's classic "Time Enough for Love". "Time" is perhaps the quitnessential SF novel (make sure you PLAY the music scores in the final chapter!). Another rarely mentioned work is his "I Will Fear No Evil" which builds a future world very similar to that seen in "Bladerunner" a couple of decades before. Most people never mentiion RAH's wonderful short fiction but "And He Built a Crooked House", "Requiem", "The Green Hills of Earth", and especially "All You Zombies" will leave you breathless. His Fantasy novels, "Glory Road" and "Magic, Inc." are excellent.

Other authors:

A.E. Van Vogt's "Slan" and "The Weaponshops of Isher" series are very good early classics.

If you like Space Opera ( a SF version of Horse Opera) Edward E. Smith's "Skylark" and "Lensman" series are wonderful romps without a hint a real science anywhere in sight. What science there is is SUPERSCIENCE! The good guys are VERY GOOD (better than Dudley Doright) and the bad guys are VERY BAD (Boo, Hiss), the beautiful women are GORGEOUS (and completely virtuous as are the good guys) and the BEMs are BUG EYED MONSTERS! Planets are smashed, spacecraft are the size of moons and the hijinks out Star Wars STARWARS.

Gordon Dickson's Final Encyclopedia series called the "Childe Cycle" is fantastic. It includes all the Dorsai novels and a couple of historical novels that may yet to be written.

For Keith Laumer, much as i like his "Retief" humorous SF series, I consider his best works to be "The Great Time Machine Hoax" (I especially like his neo-Victorian furniture descriptions and the Rube Goldberg device the hero cobbles together from old Playboy centerfolds, some cooking oil, and plastic bags to distract attention from his escape) and "A Trace of Memory", probably the best paean to a lost civilization ever written (and a surprising retelling of the Arthurian legend from SF viewpoint). Both are superb. Any of his Alternate Universe series will provide loads of fun and humor.

Spider Robinson's "Callahan's Cross Time Saloon" series is great fun for anyone who loves puns... But "The Stardancers", co-authored with his wife Jeanne Robinson is fascinating. His "Deathkiller" series offers one of the most provacative theories of life after death in SF or philosophy.

Fred Saberhagen, author of the "Berserker" series has also written a great series based on Dracula. He takes the position that Bram Stoker was a vampirephobe and twisted the actions and motives of one of nature's good guys. Vlad Dracula is permitted to retell the Stoker story from HIS viewpoint in "The Dracula Tapes" which continue with more adventures of Dracula in "An Old Friend of the Family", "The Holmes-Dracula File" which finally reveals the secret of the Giant Rat of Sumatra, and about six or seven more novels.

A Really Fun book is James H. Schmitz's "The Witches of Karres". The first three chapters are available online. The few books that Schmitz wrote make me very sad that he turned away from writing to editing SF magazines. He was far better than 99% of the authors he edited.

Another author is sometime Freeper J. Neal Schulman who writes excellent SF with a political bent... extreme libertarian SF... as well as some of the best Pro-gun articles around. His "Rainbow Cadenza" and "Alongside Night" are exccellent. Schulman operates his own publishing house Pulpless.comwhich provides electronic copies of some of his and other authors' works.

If you, like me, appreciate this kind of SF, then you will also appreciate J. Neal Smith's "The Probability Broach" series.

[Hacksaw]

The Discovery Channel writers as well as the Science Channel writers. Pure fiction in far too many stories.

LOL - I feel that way about Patrick Henry's evolution threads.